This Balsamic Slow Cooker Beef is perfectly tender, juicy, and full of flavor. All you need are a few simple ingredients and around 30 minutes of hands-on cooking table to get an easy dinner on the table.
My New Favorite Weeknight Dinner – Balsamic Slow Cooker Beef
There’s something so hearty and comforting about a slow cooker recipe plus they usually don’t take a ton of hands-on cooking time which is always a win. This slow cooked balsamic beef has become one of my favorites because the beef turns out incredibly juicy and tender, without a ton of work.
It’s great paired with your favorite sides and it’s a great meal prep recipe that reheats well for easy lunches. Seriously, you’re going to love this recipe – it’s all of the things I love about a slow cooker recipe and just so good. Keep reading to learn everything you need to know about making this one!
Watch How to Make This Recipe
Recipe Ingredients
Chuck Roast: you’ll need a 3 to 4 pound boneless chuck roast for this recipe. I prefer to use a boneless chuck roast to make shredding the beef easier at the end.
Seasonings: just a few simple seasonings add a lot of flavor. You’ll need salt, pepper, crushed red pepper flakes, and dried bay leaves.
Veggies: root veggies like yellow onion, carrots, and celery help to add some extra flavor to the beef. It’s not a veggie but we’re also using plenty of fresh garlic.
Balsamic Vinegar: the star of the show that packs SO MUCH flavor. Balsamic vinegar not only gives the beef its flavor, it also helps to tenderize the meat.
Beef Broth: I recommend using a low-sodium beef broth for this dish.
Honey: this adds just the right touch of sweetness and works well with the flavor of the balsamic. You could also use maple syrup if that’s all you have.
Worcestershire Sauce: a little goes a long way to add some extra flavor.
Helpful Kitchen Tools You’ll Need
How to Make Balsamic Slow Cooked Beef
Step One: Heat a large cast iron skillet over medium-high heat.
Step Two: While the skillet is heating, pat the chuck roast dry with paper towels. Next, sprinkle half a tablespoon of salt and half of the black pepper onto one side of the roast.
Step Three: Once the skillet is hot, add the avocado oil. Then, place the chuck roast in the skillet salt side down, and sprinkle the remaining salt on the other side.
Step Four: Sear the beef for 6 to 8 minutes on each side until it has developed a deep golden brown crust. Transfer the beef to the slow cooker.
Step Five: Reduce the skillet heat, and add ¼ cup of balsamic vinegar to the skillet to deglaze the pan. Next, add the sliced onions, diced carrot, diced celery, and smashed garlic. Increase the heat to medium, and cook for 2 to 3 minutes. Then, pour the veggie mixture over the beef in the slow cooker.
Step Six: Whisk the remaining ½ cup of balsamic vinegar, plus the beef broth, honey, Worcestershire sauce, and red pepper flakes in a bowl. Pour the mixture evenly over the beef and veggies.
Step Seven: Cover, and cook on low for 8 to 10 hours or on high for 5 to 6 hours or until the meat is fork tender and easy to pull apart and shred.
Step Eight: Remove the beef from the slow cooker, and transfer it to a cutting board. Use two forks to gently shred the beef. Then, add it back to the cooking liquid in the slow cooker. Serve warm!
Ways to Serve
I love to serve this beef over mashed potatoes to soak up every bit of the balsamic sauce! When you pair it with the mashed potatoes and some sort of veggie on the side it’s literally the perfect meal. If you need some veggie side ideas here are a few of my personal favorites:
- Honey Mustard Kale Salad
- Roasted Asparagus
- Roasted Garlic Lemon Broccoli
- Honey Mustard Roasted Brussels Sprouts
How to Store and Freeze
- Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days.
- Freeze balsamic slow cooker beef for up to 2 months. Thaw in the fridge overnight before reheating.
- Reheat leftover beef in the microwave in a microwave safe dish or in the oven at 350 degrees, in a covered oven-safe dish.
More Delicious Beef Recipes
- Healthy Beef Stew
- The Best Dutch Oven Pot Roast
- Slow Cooker Chipotle Beef Burrito Bowls
- One Skillet Beef Tips with Peppers and Onions
- Healthy Beef and Broccoli Stir Fry
- Beef Enchilada Casserole
I hope you give this Balsamic Slow Cooker Beef a try! It’s delicious, comforting, and so easy to make. If you do give this recipe a try, I want to know! Leave a comment with a star rating below. You can also snap a photo & tag @allthehealthythings on INSTAGRAM. Your reviews help support All the Healthy Things and make it possible for me to continue to create the recipes you know and love.
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Balsamic Slow Cooker Beef
- Prep Time: 30 minutes
- Cook Time: 6 hours
- Total Time: 6 hours 30 minutes
- Yield: 6-8 1x
- Category: Dinner
- Method: Slow Cooker
- Cuisine: American
- Diet: Gluten Free
Description
This Balsamic Slow Cooker Beef is perfectly tender, juicy, and full of flavor. All you need are a few simple ingredients and around 30 minutes of hands-on cooking table to get an easy dinner on the table.
Ingredients
- 3–4 pound chuck roast
- 1 tablespoon kosher salt, divided
- 1/2 teaspoon black pepper, divided
- 1 yellow onion, thinly sliced
- 1 carrot, small diced
- 1 celery stalk, small diced
- 6 cloves garlic, smashed
- 3/4 cup balsamic vinegar, divided
- 1 cup low sodium beef broth
- 1/4 cup honey
- 1/2 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
- 1 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
- 1 dried bay leaf
Instructions
- Heat a large cast iron skillet oven over medium-high heat.
- While the skillet is heating, pat the chuck roast dry with paper towels. Next, sprinkle half a tablespoon of salt and half of the black pepper onto one side of the chuck roast.
- Once the skillet is hot, add the avocado oil. Next, place the chuck roast in the skillet salt side down. Sprinkle the remaining salt on the other side of the beef.
- Sear the beef for 6-8 minutes on each side until it has developed a deep golden brown crust. Remove the beef from the skillet and transfer it to the slow cooker.
- Lower the skillet heat and add 1/4 cup of balsamic vinegar to deglaze the pan. Next, add the sliced onions, diced carrot, diced celery, and smashed garlic to the skillet. Increase the heat to medium and cook for 2-3 minutes. Then, pour the veggie mixture over the beef in the slow cooker.
- Whisk together the remaining 1/2 cup of balsamic vinegar, 1 cup beef broth, 1/4 cup honey, Worcestershire sauce, bay leaf, and red pepper flakes. Pour the mixture over the beef and veggies.
- Cover and cook on low for 8-10 hours or on high until 5-6 hours until the beef is fork tender and easy to shred.
- Once tender and finished cooking, remove the beef from the slow cooker and transfer to a cutting board. Use two forks to gently shred the beef. Add the shredded beef back to the cooking liquid in the slow cooker. Serve the shredded beef over mashed potatoes.
Recipe by: Ashlea Carver / All the Healthy Things | Photography by: Eat Love Eat
